The plan, introduced by former Yesha Council Director Naftali Bennett, would unilaterally end military occupation in the section of the West Bank designated by Israel as “Area C” and fully apply Israeli law there. Israel would then “naturalize” some 50,000 Palestinians from the seized territory.

Some on the Israeli left are objecting to the proposal, but not necessarily because it would be a blatant theft of land and unilateral capture of its Palestinian residents. Rather, they argue it would then make Israel a binational state, in which they would have to share power with the Palestinian leadership. This is an affront to the “two-state solution,” they claim.

But some of the language is more direct. “Bennett’s initiative is immoral and undemocratic. It will only aggravate Israel’s situation with regards to the Palestinian issue,” said Peace Now Director Yariv Oppenheimer.

The plan is seen by some as controversial, but it would seem to be the logical end to what Israeli policy has aimed at and achieved for years. Israel has continued demolishing Palestinian homes throughout the West Bank, continued settlement construction at unprecedented rates, maintained control over every minutia of life of occupied Palestinians, who continue to be displaced, etc. There has been a clear course of expansion; this bill is simply more frank about that.

A recent report from the European Union warned that “if current trends are not stopped and reversed, the establishment of a viable Palestinian state within pre-1967 borders seem more remote than ever.” And that, indeed, seems to be the intention.

The EU report explained how “a combination of house and farm building demolitions; a prohibitive planning regime; relentless settlement expansion; the military’s separation barrier; obstacles to free movement; and denial of access to vital natural resources, including land and water, is eroding Palestinian tenure of the large tract of the West Bank on which hopes of a contiguous Palestinian state depend.”

7 thoughts on “Likud Members Push Plan to Annex 60% of West Bank”

:…Israel would then “naturalize” some 50,000 Palestinians…" I wonder if that was a typo and what was supposed to be there was neutralize. Because surely they have no intention of making the Palestinians an equal partner in the governing of Israel. They are stealing the land so I can't see the Palestinians stepping up and saying, "Well, that's ok…we understand."

I do hope that the Zionist entity really goes too far, and finds itself isolated, loathed, and desperate. How anyone can respect this pathetic criminal sect is beyond me. Go attack Iran, so we can watch the Knesset burn as well as Tel Aviv..

Why not annex the entire West Bank and make all the indigenous people "naturalized".? That would add 2.5 M new citizens and end the aparthied state once and for all. Gaza could go with Egypt as it was prior to June 1964.

I have a "Christian" friend who recently said she looks forward to Armageddon and hopes that "they" drop a nuke in the mid-east sooner than later. I am sure that she thinks this is what Jesus would do…I wonder how many American Christians are equally hypocritical – I guess the majority – who have seemingly never heard the words attributed to Jesus "love your neighbor as yourself" or "love your enemies and do good to those that hate you" or how about the simple commandment "you shall not kill"? In any case, the above comments remind me of biblical prophecy that seems to say that Israel, at the end, will find itself surrounded by its enemies. The Israelites now and way back then never seem to comprehend that God "chose" them because they were the most unlikely to succeed at being godly – to prove, according to scripture, that God can do amazing work with what is at hand, however poor it is. Israeli/American arrogance seem to have no limits, but history shows that the proud fall the hardest. I hope a speedy end to our evil empire – though I am not sure that what will replace it can be any better – human nature appears to have trumped human idealism…unless of course the bible stories are true and Jesus will ride through the mushroom cloud on his Harley and teach the usurpers a lesson.

It is now and has always been the intention of the Israelis to establish the "facts on the grounds" and reclaim all of the land as a Jewish state. Using biblical claims it plays well with their largest patron. With the majority of the US Christian and looking for the "second coming" , Israel will applauded and aided. That is also a fact that cannot be dismissed or considered a side issue.